Canada: Racism and Discrimination

To bring about a debate around the issues of racism and discrimination toward minorities, the aboriginals, and the poor.

mardi 24 avril 2007

"More than half the Ottawa Police Service members who responded to a workplace survey, including more than eight in 10 women, have experienced sexual or personal harassment or discrimination in the last four years.""The survey respondents reported that in the last four years:52 per cent had experienced sexual harassment or discrimination.54 per cent had experienced personal harassment or discrimination.28 per cent had witnessed sexual or personal harassment or discrimination.More than eight in 10 women and six in 10 men had experienced either type of harassment or discrimination.Only 13 per cent of victims reported the harassment to managers."

samedi 14 avril 2007

The CBC staffer who wrote this article shed little light or none on the beaten of Laurent Duhamel, 62. The writer goes to great length to tell us that it wasn't really a beating by citing only people who defend such thesis and the constable.Duhamel have nothing to gain but everything to loose from denouncing his beating at the hand of Const. Daniel Bargh; he could be banned from the shelters and would have to sleep on the street at minus zero temperatures, harassed and beating again by police on the street.

"A surveillance video shown at an Ottawa Police Service disciplinary hearing appears to show an officer beating up a drunk, homeless man at a shelter. But the apparent victim said Thursday the officer was just trying to wake him up."He wanted to wake me up, and keep me in good shape. I can tell you that. He was honest and sincere," said Laurent Duhamel, 62, an alcoholic homeless man who admitted in testimony Thursday that he doesn't remember much of what happened on May 6, 2006.This frame from a surveillance video shows Const. Daniel Bargh subduing Laurent Duhamel at Ottawa's Shepherd's of Good Hope shelter on May 6, 2006.Const. Daniel Bargh, 25, has yet to convince his superiors that his intentions were benign. He's facing a charge of using unnecessary force under the Police Services Act."

jeudi 12 avril 2007

"The former Rwandan professor was attacked in his semi-private prison wing after a new prisoner was brought into the east-end Montreal detention centre, Cohen told CBC.""It's obviously an extremely troubling situation, in which we can't even ensure the security of a prisoner, of a person who is presumed innocent."And this is supposed to be a show case for Canada. It's an embarrassment, that's what it is."

"Foord asked Johnston if he heard Sarah's uncle call Jaber an "immigrant" and a "paki."Foord also suggested the two men had started hitting the van.He asked Johnston if he had said to an investigating officer who was black, "Is this an immigrant thing?"Johnston replied, "I don't remember. That's not the sort of thing I would say.""

samedi 7 avril 2007

"Ontario's Children's Aid Societies vow to bring about major administrative changes after a hard-hitting auditor general's investigation revealed serious problems regarding the agency's spending habits.Auditor General Jim McCarter tabled his report at the Ontario legislature last December, detailing expense abuses at several family and youth services agencies, including incidents where luxury vehicles, gym memberships and personal travel costs were charged to the province.The investigation also reviewed the risk assessment system used by Children's Aid Societies (CAS), and new cases were delayed by weeks because of red tape."

mercredi 4 avril 2007

"A lawyer for the first person charged under Canada's Anti-terrorism Act says it is impossible for suspects to defend themselves when Canadian law allows government lawyers to meet secretly with judges to decide what evidence should be hidden from the defence.Ottawa resident Mohammad Momin Khawaja was in federal court in Ottawa Wednesday while one of his lawyers argued against part of Section 38 of the Canada Evidence Act."

mardi 3 avril 2007

"A Saskatchewan RCMP officer who pulled a knife on a Mormon church official in Regina in 2006 likely won't end up with a criminal record after receiving a conditional discharge.On Tuesday, Const. Kevin Gregson, 40, pleaded guilty in a Regina court to uttering a death threat."